Volume One, Chapter 68: Huo Cong Falls Ill, Xiao Bei Worries Desperately

Early the next morning, Huo Xiaobei woke up bright and early, dressed himself, and gently pushed open his father's bedroom door.

“Comrade Old Huo, time to get up.”

He approached the bed and softly called Huo Lintong awake.

As soon as Huo Lintong opened his eyes slightly, Huo Xiaobei became bold, jumping onto the bed and burrowing into his arms, slipping into the warm covers. He rubbed against the fresh stubble on his father’s chin, tilted his little face up, and grinned, “Good morning, Daddy.”

Huo Lintong carried him with one arm into the bathroom, and father and son stood before the mirror brushing their teeth and washing their faces.

This was their daily routine.

Ye Sheng was traveling to Province Z today for a work trip—a joint consultation at the provincial hospital, for the same leukemia patient from Meishan’s medical aid.

She had to catch an early flight, so she left before dawn and didn’t have breakfast with the father and son.

“Has Sheng Sheng arrived yet?” In the car, Huo Xiaobei asked, swinging his small feet.

Huo Lintong straightened his pant legs. “I don't know.”

Huo Xiaobei nudged him lightly. “Then why don’t you ask?”

Huo Lintong glanced at him, meeting the little fellow’s worried and concerned eyes, and smiled, pinching his cheek.

“I did ask. She hasn’t replied yet. She’s probably still on the plane.”

“Oh.” Only then did Huo Xiaobei relax.

He was small, but his mind was full of worries.

In truth, Xiaobei didn’t share much in common with Huo Lintong’s temperament. Sometimes, when his son’s little cat paw landed on his heart, Huo Lintong would wonder: What kind of person was his mother?

—

“Bye, Daddy!”

Today, Huo Xiaobei ran into the classroom, eager to see Huo Cong early.

After all, they had made up.

He was also curious to see just how dirty Huo Cong’s hat had become. If it was too bad, he would just swap with Huo Cong—since Huo Cong was a neat freak and he wasn’t.

Xiaobei had a good plan, but even as the class bell rang and the teacher walked in, Huo Cong had not arrived.

Why was he late today?

Huo Xiaobei stared at the empty seat by the window, anxious, and he hadn’t brought his phone, so he couldn’t call Huo Cong.

Could it be that he slept too late last night and couldn’t wake up this morning? Xiaobei imagined all sorts of possibilities, so distracted during class that he could hardly concentrate. When the bell rang for break, he couldn’t help but ask Teacher Cheng, “Teacher, why didn’t Huo Cong come to school today?”

“Huo Cong? He’s taken leave.”

“Huh?” Xiaobei’s eyes widened. “Leave? Why?”

Teacher Cheng replied, “He’s sick, took medical leave.”

Oh… Xiaobei opened his mouth.

Huo Cong was ill.

How could he suddenly fall sick?

Huo Cong missed school for three days. Every day, Xiaobei would ask the teacher, “Will Huo Cong come today? Is he better yet? Is it serious? When will he be back?”

He carried his little phone to school, but every time he tried calling Huo Cong, he couldn’t get through.

He was anxious and worried, but didn’t know what to do.

During the lunch break, Xiaobei lay on his desk, staring at the empty seat beside him. Before, during midday rest, he and Huo Cong would hook each other’s fingers, signaling they weren’t asleep.

These past days, no one hooked his finger or played childish games with him. The world suddenly lost so much brightness and color.

A day apart felt like three years. Xiaobei now truly understood what “every day feels like a year” meant!

He missed Huo Cong so much…

—

During Ye Sheng’s business trip, she received daily texts and calls from Huo Lintong and Xiaobei.

Unknowingly, it had become a habit.

Habits are an odd thing. For years, Ye Sheng was used to being alone—during her student days, she was solitary; even in marriage, she never depended on or expected others. Her brother had trained her to be independent since childhood. “Loneliness” was her normal, and she was fine with it…

But the arrival of Huo Lintong and Xiaobei brought a hint of “difference” to her seemingly simple and peaceful life.

Every morning, after waking up, she’d play the voice message and hear Xiaobei’s childish “Sheng Sheng, wake up!” and it was as if electricity surged through her, filling her with energy.

Every night, no matter how exhausted she was returning home after work, opening her phone to see the day's messages and pictures from Huo Lintong, exchanging good night wishes, her weary heart would feel much lighter.

—

So much so that the three days of her trip passed swiftly.

At the provincial hospital in Province Z, during the joint consultation, Ye Sheng met Dan Ni again, the eldest daughter of the Dan family.

Ye Sheng thanked Dan Ni for the earlier trending news. The energy from her news article had not only helped the event itself, but also brought comfort to Ye Sheng’s heart.

But Dan Ni, tearful, replied, “Director Ye, I should be thanking you. This semester, I received two scholarships, one of which was sponsored by you—I know.”

Ye Sheng was startled. She had asked Yin Se to establish the scholarship anonymously, precisely so Dan Ni wouldn’t know.

Such self-respecting and sensitive children could easily overthink.

Seeing Ye Sheng’s expression, Dan Ni realized she hadn’t meant for her to know, and felt even more grateful, smiling as she explained, “When I was helping out in the student council, I overheard the teachers talking.”

“Director Ye,” Dan Ni couldn’t hold back any longer, “May I… hug you?”

Ye Sheng smiled gently.

Dan Ni felt she was being abrupt and was about to apologize, but Ye Sheng pulled her into an embrace.

A surgeon’s hands are beautiful and strong; as she was held, Dan Ni felt her heart settle.

It was the same feeling as when she learned of her father’s illness and Ye Sheng calmly explained the treatment arrangements; or when she was working desperately at part-time jobs and received a call from her teacher telling her she’d get an extra scholarship…

It was hope—a hope that lets one survive even in despair.

—

The plane landed in the capital in the afternoon of the fourth day.

Ye Sheng had just placed her luggage in the car when her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she hesitated.

She’d memorized this number—it was Huo Mingtian’s.

She pressed “answer” and got into the car.

After just a couple of sentences from Huo Mingtian, Ye Sheng’s expression changed. She turned to the driver, “Sir, please go to…”

She shouted urgently into the phone, “Where is the child now?”

“Huo Manor,” Huo Mingtian replied.